


We Don’t Have To Dance

by FairyChix26



Series: Tim/Jay fics based on songs [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alpha Jason Todd, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Drinking, Drug Use, M/M, Mutual Pining, Omega Tim Drake, Self Harm, Suicide Attempt, Tim Drake Has a Bad Time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-26 08:01:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30102804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FairyChix26/pseuds/FairyChix26
Summary: Jason was trying to get his mind off of the Beta that was worming himself into his heart.Tim was trying desperately to not let anyone know that he is actually an Omega, and avoiding all thoughts of the fact that he was sure of who his Mate is.When the final straw comes down and Tim is outed as an Omega it doesn't go well. Nothing drinking his life away won't fix though. Maybe he can even get a kiss before he dies.
Relationships: Tim Drake/Jason Todd
Series: Tim/Jay fics based on songs [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2215005
Comments: 6
Kudos: 105





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Preemptive warning, if you cry easily you'll want tissues

**Record scratch; Steve Miller Band**   
**Tattooed necks and tattooed hands**   
**Oh, how don't you drown in a rainstorm?**

Jason went to the Alley Bat Club for a reason. It was dark, loud, the drinks were strong (if you had the money for it) and people didn’t talk to him. And with the dress code including a masquerade theme, it was one place where he didn’t attract the attention of every nearby Beta and Omega. The club was a place Jason could just drink and not worry about making small talk. If he wanted to hook up with someone there was always that possibility, but if he was being honest with himself he didn’t want anyone other than the Beta that had pushed his way into his life. 

So it was here that he was drowning his sorrows in shots of whisky after dealing with a particularly shitty night the day before. He had been tracking down the most recent recruits selling on the corners. You’d think after the first two got a bullet in the head they’d get the memo about not selling to kids. After he finished that Scarlet showed up on his radar to give him a tip on someone grabbing working girls. He tried tracking that lead down but came up short. Then to top everything else off, the stalker was back at it. Red Robin was getting on his last nerve. Ever since Jason started working with the bats more often Red would show up in his turf just as often. He knew that he was there more than he noticed. Based on how well he had been able to stalk Bats before, if Jason was seeing him then Replacement wanted to be seen. Didn’t mean that it didn’t drive him absolutely crazy. Being close enough to touch, but still much too far.

So he was drinking. Heavily. When the distressed little Omega walked in his direction Jason almost thought about taking them home. He wondered if the little ‘mega was wearing a scent patch, if they were then they were way too close to heat to be surrounded by this many Alphas. Maybe that’s why they were coming over to him. It didn’t happen often, but sometimes someone would recognize him as Red Hood. He wasn’t wearing the leather jacket, and his helmet was locked in his bike’s side bag; he’d even changed out his red mask for a plain black domino. But sometimes someone would need the protection that Jason provided. Working girls, unclaimed omegas, the vulnerable, they had a sense for who was safe so he attracted people who needed him. 

“This seat taken?” Jason tilted his head saying it wasn’t. 

The ‘mega was dressed nicely. His clothing was tailored, his domino mask left his eyes visible and they were the same shade as the shirt he was wearing. Flaunting his wealth and smelling like that, what a good combination to attract trouble. Jason looked around to see if anyone was paying too much attention to the man. He saw a few looking with longing but they all looked away when they saw him looking at them. He looked back to the man who had ordered three shots and was downing them like water. That’s when the underlining smell of alcohol hit Jason. 

Jason put his hand on the man’s, stopping him from raising another glass, “Maybe you should stop drinking before you make a bad decision?”

He laughed, “I’ve already made the bad decision, now I’m trying to live with it.” 

“Do you need me to call you a cab? Or do you have someone who can take care of you?” Jason was drawn towards him, but he couldn’t help but feel like something more was wrong. The man reminded him far too much of Red for Jason to leave him alone in his distress.

“You’re the first one to ask that all night. It’s be nice if my _family_ would have cared to ask. Instead of _telling_ me how to deal..” the way he was slurring his words but spat out the word family cued Jason into just how upset, and drunk he was. 

“Well then, next one's on me.” He motioned to the bartender and quietly ordered, “can you give us both water, but put it in a shot glass? I’m trying to get him to let me call him a cab.” 

Iris rolled her eyes, she had marked Jason as Red Hood the first time he came into the bar. So she knew he knew what he was doing. She walked over with the ‘shots’ smiling. She had brought one for herself as well, “So, what are we drinking to?”

Jason smiled at the ‘mega, “To family”

He laughed and Jason felt his heart flutter, “To family!” 

“To family!” Iris toasted with them and then went down the bar to keep serving. 

“Wanna give me your name?”

The man had his face scrunched up, “That wasn’t the vodka I’ve been drinking.” He had a thoughtful face for a moment then gasped, “You drugged me!” He whisper-yelled poking Jason’s chest, “How did you do that? I was watching the glass the whole time. The bat- bar- alcohol lady handed it right to me.” 

“I didn’t drug ya, I ordered you water.” Jason huffed, but at least that meant that he wasn’t as far gone as he had been worried. 

“Is Lazarus juice poison?” He was so quiet that Jason almost didn’t hear him. Jason tensed up and had to force himself to relax. 

“Iris only serves filtered water.” When his head jerked up to look at Jason he watched the man’s eyes widen into large circles. It reminded him of Red again, that look was usually when he figured out something on a hard case that meant nothing good was coming at them. 

“I didn’t- That’s not- I mean-“ 

Jason reached out a hand and brushed his hair out of his face, “Who are you?” His fingers lingered on the edge of the man’s mask.

“Not yet.” He twisted out of his hands, “But I will take you up on the offer of a cab.”

Iris chose that moment to walk over, “Already done hun. There’s a car waiting for ya out front.” 

He waved to Jason, “I’ll see you around.”

Jason just dumbly stared after him.

“Never seen you at a loss for words Hood. Pretty boy got you flustered?”

“I have to meet him again.” He turned to look at Iris, “Does he come in here often?”

She shook her head sadly, “Never seen him before tonight. He was waiting for you though, asked me when he came in if the Red Hood ever came in. I wouldn’t confirm or deny, but I think he knew to wait because that’s when he ordered his first 4 shots.” She gave him a look, “If I were you I would track him down.”

Jason smiled at her, “Oh I’m gonna.”

**Fresh regrets, vodka sweats**   
**The sun is down and we're bound to get**   
**Exhausted and so far from the shore**

Jason hoped that he would find the sweet-smelling Omega again, he didn’t expect to smell him so soon though. When he caught a trace of the man in the alley by the safe house he had been using to change. He went to investigate. Following the trail, he ended up on the roof. The Omega was sitting there on the ledge singing to himself. 

“Do you know the words to this? I only remember parts of it. I used to sing it when I was younger.” 

Jason looked at him while he just stayed quiet, “You’ll have to give me more to go on than that.”

He tilted his head to the side, still not looking back at Jason, “....oh! I stopped singing when you got close.” He nodded to himself like that answered all of his questions. 

Jason walked over and sat next to him, taking off his helmet left him with just his red mask hiding his identity. He noticed the scent patch on the back of his next, “Shit baby, you have to be well into the nesting period. Why are you alone on a rooftop?”

He just tilted his head again and shrugged his shoulders, “Doesn’t matter much. I’m unclaimed, and it’s not like the one person I want wants me back. So I’ll just deal with it like I always have.”

“Baby, I know I don’t really know you. But if the person who you wanted knew it, they would be a fool to reject you.” 

He gasped and looked at Jason. He still had the mask on, but his eyes were still just as striking, “I wish that was true.” Tears welled up in his eyes and he looked back to the ground, then he started singing again, “I wish that I could fly, like a bird so high… Did you know that the Robins used to patrol this area? Red Hood watches these alleys now.”

Jason smiled, “Who do you like better?” 

“The second robin is the only person I’ve ever been in love with. The third Robin never lived up to him.” Jason felt a stab of indignation at that. Tim was a far better Robin than he ever had been, “So I think it’s a toss-up between the second Robin and Red Hood, but I guess it doesn’t really matter.” He stood up and looked at Jason again. The neon sign lit up his face in red, showing the tears tracks running down his face, “I have to go now. Please don’t follow me.” 

Jason stood to face him, that still felt much too ominous. Jason grabbed his hand and pulled him in closer, “Can I at least know your name?”

He smiled again, “Not yet. I can’t break this bubble yet. Right now you care about me. If you knew who I was, you’d hate me.”

Jason brushed his hair out of his face for the second time that night. Holding his face in his hand, his thumb brushing at the edge of the mask, “I assure you, you’ve gotten my attention and I don’t think I could ever hate you. Your scent sings to me, your eyes are captivating, you remind me of someone far too important to me to ever be able to hate you.”

He started silently crying again, “I wish that could be true. You’ll hate me by morning though, maybe as much as I hate me.”

Jason held tight to him, “Don’t say that baby, please.” Jason brushed his thumb under the mask again. 

The man tried to smile but it came out like a grimace, “I have to go. I can’t- I just- I have to go before I do something even crazier than this.” 

“Than what?” The Omega surged forward and pressed his lips to Jason’s in a fierce kiss. When he pulled back he pushed Jason back enough that he could jump off the roof. 

Jason’s heart caught in his throat until he saw him climbing down the fire escape. That was also when his com sparked on. 

“Hood, I know you said not to hack into your coms when you weren’t answering, but this is important. Red Robin is missing.”

Dick cut in, “He’s not missing, he ran away from B because he pushed him to.”

“Drake left because of his own actions, father didn’t- ow!” The sound of someone smacking Damian in the head was almost drowned out by his yelp of pain.

“Little brother hurt. His emotions aren’t ours.” Ah, so it was Cass who was on demon brat duty.

“Why are you bringing me into this?” Jason was putting on his jacket now. “Kid thinks I still hate him. Why would I have any idea where he is?”

He didn’t expect Alfred to be the one to speak up, “I think that’s a question I can best answer in-person Master Jason. I await you in the main hall.”

**Bottles smash, I raise my hand**   
**How can you all even stand it**   
**Why is there joy in this poison, oh**

“Prompt as always.” Alfred opened the door as Jason walked up.

“Alfie, what is the big secret that you couldn’t tell me over the coms?”

“I thought you might catch that.” Alfred started leading Jason up the stairs, “Master Timothy has always been the most private out of you all, but there are few things that an old butler misses.” He had led Jason to Tim’s room, “Unfortunately the same cannot be said about Master Bruce.” 

When Alfred opened the door Jason fell to his knees. The scent wasn’t as powerful but he would recognize it anywhere. Now in this moment where he wasn’t surrounded by other foreign scents and without the scent blockers in his helmet, he understood why it smelled so sweet to him. 

“Yes, I thought as much. I saw the way Master Timothy clung to anything that had your scent on it. I had hoped that the bond was mutual.”

“Baby bird is an Omega.” Jason looked up at Alfred from his position on the ground, “And Bruce didn’t take it well?”

Alfred looked sadly at him, “As much as Master Bruce was exposed to his mother’s fight for Omega rights. He still has many of the same thoughts on what is and isn’t safe for an Omega to do. Miss Gordon has already laid claim on him after Master Timothy, though I think she might be willing to share her turn.” 

“I’m going to kill him. He should know better!” Jason started back towards the front door, “Shit!” He turned around, “Alfie, can you give me a list of his safe houses?”

“You have an idea where he might be?”

Jason nodded giving Alfred the address of the building that he last saw Tim on. He got three options in return but he had a feeling he knew what one he needed to go to.

“Please do bring him home safe Master Jason.”

“Don’t worry Alfie, he will be.” He put his helmet back on and got on his bike, “Oracle, call everyone else off. I know where he is.”

“Where is he, Little Wing?”

“Dickie bird I’m not inclined to tell you that right now. Once I know who he wants to talk to I’ll let you all know.” Jason glared at the screen on his helmet showing the call still connected, “O, get me on a private line with just you or I’m blowing up the radio tower next time I’m on patrol.” Once the call was just the two of them he continued, “How long did you know?”

“About?”

“Red’s secondary gender.”

“Since he presented. He needed someone to know so he could ask questions.”

“How did he keep it secret this long?”

“Way too strong scent blockers. It left just enough of his scent to convince people he’s just a beta.”

“What does he do for heats?”

“Usually he hides away in his apartment for the week, rides it out alone. But he’s also usually able to escape the manor earlier than this.”

“What happened?”

“Dinner ran long, tensions were up since you didn’t show and Dick is still on the outs with Bruce since he took your side last month. Damian was able to slip a knife past Dick while he was arguing with Bruce and went for Tim’s neck. Cass stopped him before drawing blood, but not before making the scent patch noticeable.”

“Fucking demon brat. Then Bruce asked why Tim was wearing a patch, yeah?”

“Yep, and once all eyes were on him he panicked. He tried to just leave, but by then Dick was caging him in. Not on purpose, but enough for Damian to rip the patch off.”

“I’m gonna kill a 13-year-old.”

“You’re gonna want to kill Bruce more, so don’t waste energy on Damian. Cass has him literally tied to a chair until he can properly apologize. Bruce did a lot worse.”

Jason ground his teeth, “What. Did. He. Do.”

“Here, let me just play it for you.”

_“Tim, why wouldn’t you tell the pack Alpha you were the pack’s Omega?”_

_“I- I- I’m not”_

_“As pack Omega, you shouldn’t be running as Red Robin, it’s far too unsafe for-”_

_“What!”_

_“You need to be protected.”_

She stopped the recording there, “You can’t hear it but this is when Cass starts signing, she drags Bruce through the mud. She got in his face and kept attention on her so Tim could escape.”

Jason was quiet, trying to control the pit rage that was telling him to attack the Alpha who tried to lay claim on his _mate_. 

“Jay, is the bond mutual?”

“I didn’t know until Agent A walked me into his room, but yeah. Yeah, it is.”

“Bring him home when he’s ready.” He heard some clicking, “I’ve redirected everyone away from your location. They will still be looking, but once you’re inside you shouldn’t have to worry. Oracle over and out.”

Once she dropped off the call Jason turned towards the apartment he knew Tim was in.

**Faking smiles and confidence**   
**Driving miles to capture this excitement**   
**I can't take anymore, oh**

Tim had dropped from the fire escape just in time to hear Jay being patched into the call. Babs was good, but Tim knew she was distracted with the hunt for him. And he needed to know where they were so he could avoid them all. So he listened in, he heard Alfred summon Jay to the manor. It was only a matter of time now. He’d know who he was now. 

There was no use hiding anymore. Alfred knew where his safe houses were, and Jay was so much smarter than any of the other bats gave him credit for. 

He’d know what house Tim was staying at. 

He’d find him. 

_Jason_ would find him. 

Jason would find him spiraling into this mess he was becoming. 

“FUCK!” He screamed for a good long time then stood there panting. 

He wasn’t ready. 

He was ready. 

He didn't know what was going to happen next. 

He knew what was going to happen next.

He wasn’t ready to die at Jason’s hands. 

He was ready for _Jason_ to kill him. 

Tim went into the kitchen and grabbed one of the bottles of vodka he had stashed there. It took him just a moment to open it and down half of it in one go. As drunk as he already was the taste barely hit him. 

After a short time, his proximity sensors started to go off and he turned them off with a flick from his watch. He grabbed his anxiety meds, he was thinking of a triple dose. Maybe if he wasn’t anxious, then the pain wouldn’t hit him until after he was already dead. 

He didn’t expect Jason to be so fast. Or maybe he was slow. Because he hadn’t gotten the bottle open before Jason’s hands were on his. 

Tim didn’t turn to look at him, still struggling with the child lock on the pills, “Please, give me just another moment. I’m scared. But I’ll be brave. I promise.” 

“Baby bird.”

“Please don’t. I- I can’t-“ Tim didn’t realize he was crying but the sobs he was hearing had to be coming from him, “I can’t handle you being nice. Just, please give me a second. Then you can do it.”

Jason took the bottle away from him and turned his face towards him, “Baby bird, what do you think I’m gonna do to you?” 

Tim blinked a few times. He didn’t understand the question. Did Jason want him to choose his method of execution? 

“Tim, I need you to focus. How much have you drunk now?”

“I only drank half the bottle. See I just opened it.” 

He pointed to the bottle, but that looked like more than half was missing, and a second bottle ( _‘empty’_ his frantic brain supplied) was next to it. Did he drink more? How long had it been since Jason went to see Alfred? How long had he been in his nest? He didn’t remember sitting down in it, but here he was. 

“Tim, I need you to stay with me okay. I’m gonna have to take you out of your nest okay?”

Tim nodded. Of course, Jason would take him out of here. It was too nice of a place for his blood to stain the carpet and walls. 

“Baby, please, I need you to talk to me.”

“I didn’t think you would hesitate. But this is better I guess.” Tim’s head was spinning, everything was moving too fast and too slow at the same time. “Are you going to shoot me? Or I could jump? I’ll- I’ll do anything for you Jay.”

Jason looked at him like he had grown a second head. Which to be fair he might as well have, “Baby, you gotta stop talking like that. I’m not gonna let you die.”

“Why not?” Tim had to _think_ , why wouldn’t Jason _want_ him to die. Then he figured it out. Joker tortured Jason before killing him, he forgot about that part. Of course, Jason would want to make him suffer first, “Oh, yeah that makes sense.” 

“Baby bird, you’re skippin’ too many words. What makes sense?” 

“That I’d have to suffer before dying. I’m sorry I’m too numb right now. But I’ll be better. I really meant what I said earlier. You’re the only person I’ve ever been in love with.”

“Tim, you’re not making a lot of sense. But we’re gonna talk about all of this after Leslie tells me you’re not gonna die of alcohol poisoning.”

Tim thought about that, how could he have been so stupid. Of course, Jason needed him to be better before he killed him. Jason was honorable, he wouldn’t kill Tim while he was incapacitated. He’d want it to be a fair fight. Not that Tim would fight back. He couldn’t fight him if he wanted to. He had been in love with Jason since he was just a scrawny kid following Batman and Robin across the rooftops of Gotham. 

“I’m sorry. I should have been better.” Tim’s eyes were getting heavy. He wasn’t sure if he was still in his apartment. Jason had been carrying him for so long. He was in _Jason’s_ arms. If only he wasn’t so tired. He could enjoy this. 

Pretend like Jason cared about him too. 

Pretend that he wasn’t just getting ready to kill him. 

Pretend that they had a future together. 

Pretend that this wasn’t the last caring touch he would receive. 

**You're never gonna get it**   
**I'm a hazard to myself**   
**I'll break it to you easy**   
**This is hell, this is hell**

Jason heard the proximity alarms go off and then be turned off and he knew that he was in the right place. When he picked the lock on the window and slipped inside he saw something he had hoped to never see again. Tim was struggling with the cap on a bottle of pills, there were two vodka bottles on the nightstand next to him. One empty the other about three quarters gone. And he was crying. _Tim_ was crying. 

“Please, give me just another moment. I’m scared. But I’ll be brave. I promise.” 

Jason grabbed his hands. Stopping them from opening the bottle, “Baby bird,”

Tim cut him off “Please don’t. I- I can’t-“ he was sobbing now, “I can’t handle you bein’ nice. Just, please give me a sec. Then you can do it.”

Jason grabbed the bottle from him and turned his face to look at him, “baby bird, what do you think I’m gonna do to you?” 

Tim didn’t answer, he was thinking like his life depended on it but he wasn’t saying anything, “Tim, I need you to focus. How much have you drunk now?”

He pointed to the counter, “Only drank have the bottle. See just opens it.” 

He did the math on how much that had to have been at this point and it wasn’t good. Tim may have muscle on him but not enough fat to handle as much alcohol as he’s drank tonight, “Tim, I need you to stay with me okay. I’m gonna have to take you out of your nest okay?” He stayed quiet. It was like he was having a whole conversation in his head, “Baby, please, I need you to talk to me.”

Tim finally spoke up and it wasn’t good, “didn’t think you’d hesitate. this is better.” He started thinking to himself again, somehow the next words he got out were worse, “gonna shoot me? I could jump? I’ll- I’ll do a-anything for you Jay.”

Jason finally understood what Tim thought was going to happen. The whole night led here “Baby, you gotta stop talking like that. I’m not gonna let you die.”

“Why?” Tim looked genuinely surprised at that, then was quiet again, “oh, yeah tha makes sense.”

Jason needed him to keep talking while he carried him to his bike. “Baby bird, you’re skippin’ too many words. What makes sense?” 

Tim let Jason carry him. As Jason was putting his helmet into Tim’s head hoping that Babs was right and it would refit itself to smaller heads he spoke up with a lot more clarity than the rest of this conversation, “That I’d have to suffer before dying. I’m sorry I’m too numb right now. But I’ll be better. I really meant what I said earlier. You’re the only person I’ve ever been in love with.”

“Tim, you’re not making a lot of sense. But we’re gonna talk about all of this after Leslie tells me you’re not gonna die of alcohol poisoning.”

“I’m sorry. I should have been better.” Tim fell asleep on the way to the clinic and Jason was just glad for the sensors on the helmet making it so he didn’t crash in a panic that Tim was going. 

Jason carried Tim into the clinic. He was still wearing his helmet. Luckily Leslie had an empty clinic at that moment, “doc! He’s drunk a lot. I think it’s alcohol poisoning.”

“Get him on the bed there, get the helmet off of him.” She took charge easily. Once Tim was settled Leslie tried to move him away from him and Jason growled. Actually growled at her. 

“Jay, I need you to back up so I can put an IV in. Alfred called me, told me you might be coming by. I’m not making you leave. But I need to get an IV in him right now.”

Jason backed up a step but watched her carefully. _His_ Omega was hurt, and everything in him was _screaming_ that it was his fault. 

Other patients came and went while Jason was sitting vigil at Tim’s side. When Leslie came back in to check on his vitals Jason finally spoke up, “Is… is he gonna be okay?”

“He’s gonna have a massive hangover, and his heat is probably going to be a lot worse than usual. But yeah, he’s gonna be fine.” She smiled at him softly, “you did good Jay. You got him here, he’s gonna be okay.”

Jason finally breathed easy. Tim was going to be okay. 

Jason wasn’t sure how long it had been before Tim opened his eyes. “You didn’t, I mean I’m, don’t you…”

Jason held grasped Tim’s hand, “baby bird, I haven’t hated you in a long time. The pit madness is held back. And you’re the last person I’d want to kill. Please, don’t ask me to kill you ever again.” 

Tim was crying again, he laid his head back down and fell asleep. 

**You're looking and whispering**   
**You think I'm someone else**   
**This is hell, yes.**   
**I am in hell.**

When Tim woke up the next time he was in his own bed. Surrounded by his nesting materials. He could smell Jason nearby but he wasn’t _touching_ him. “ _Jay_?” what was supposed to be a question came out as a soft moan instead. 

But then he saw his face. Jason was laying just outside of Tim’s nest. He had a pillow from the couch and the blanket that Tim kept on the couch for when he got cold. 

“I’m here Baby Bird” Jason smiled at him, “I’m not going anywhere.” 

Tim whimpered at him, “but why?” 

“Tim, you’re- fuck. I mean. Baby, I’ve been in love with you for a long while now.”

“But you flirted with-“

“I didn’t think I’d ever have a chance with you” Jason reached out for him but then drew his hand back, respecting the boundaries of his nest. “Why would you be in love with me? I tried to kill you. You thought I hated you, last night you thought that when I found out who you were I’d kill you. Baby bird, I flirted with you last night because you reminded me of _you_. I was sitting there and this little Omega comes over to me seeking comfort and looking like you in that tailored suit. I protected you because I’d do that for anyone, but I flirted with you because you reminded me of the little bird who was following me around.”

* * *

Jason thanked years of vigilantism that he didn’t fall back when Tim launched himself at him. Wrapping his arms around Jason’s neck, his legs coming to rest on top of Jason’s thighs. Jason reached up to brush Tim’s hair out of his face and cupped his face in his hand. 

Tim leaned into the touch. He had gone a little nonverbal. But that was pretty normal so it didn’t worry Jason too much. “Baby bird, _Tim_ can I kiss you?”

Tim’s eyes dilated staring at Jason as he nodded, “I need you to use your words. I need to know that you’re still lucid.”

“Jay, I’ve wanted you to kiss me all night. Please.”

They kissed like the world was ending. Which wasn’t really that unlikely for them. Jason dominated the kiss, leading Tim along. He drew away and nipped at Tim’s bottom lip then trailed kisses and nips along Tim’s neck and then his collar bones. 

“Baby, are you still lucid?”

“Yes.”

“Give me a fact that proves it.”

“Human beings are pack creatures for a reason. Our bonds, communication, and ability to work together are what have kept up so high up on the food chain all these years.” 

Jason laughed. 

“You’re the one who asked for a fact.” Tim pouted at him. 

“I did.” Jason smiled and thoroughly kissed him again. “I’m gonna ask you something, and you can say no.”

“You know I’d go to the ends of the Earth for you Jay.”

“That’s _so_ not a good thing Baby. I need you to talk to me baby bird. Before you go all heat brain I need to know what you need from me.”

Tim sobbed out at that, “you’re gonna stay?”

“I’ll stay by your side until the day I die… again” Jason smiled at the little Omega in his arms. 

Tim’s laugh turned into another sob, “no one's ever stayed with me.” He looked around, “I just stole things from the people I wanted near me… I don’t know how to nest with someone else here…”

Jason brushed the tears from his face, “why don’t you tell me what you usually do then. We can build off of that.”

* * *

The week went by so slowly. Jason was by Tim’s side the whole time though. When he needed food he was worried that Jay would leave. His rational brain knew he would come right back if he did, but heat brain was in control, and the fear of being alone after he finally had what he wanted, it was too much. But he didn’t. Jason called someone and they dropped off groceries by the front door. 

That was the other thing. Jason cooked for him, no one but Alfred had ever cooked for him. Dick would bring pizza by, and Steph would show up at 3am to drag him to breakfast because she knew he hadn’t eaten in the last day; but no one ever cooked for him. No one ever made sure he was _eating_ like Jay did. He made comfort food from his childhood, told Tim it was okay that he didn’t have his own comfort foods, that he could share his. 

Tim knew the bubble would have to break and that Jason wanted him to talk about it. Tim hated calling it a suicide attempt, but that’s really what it was. Bruce was the final straw and he broke. Something in him had always been running in that direction, and he was honestly just lucky that Jay paid as much attention to him as Tim did to him. 

That conversation would have to happen, but for now, Tim was content to just lay with Jason and be lulled to sleep while he read for him. Jason had refused to sleep with him until after his heat was over and he could “be completely lucid, and not make me feel like I’m taking advantage of you”. But that didn’t mean Jason let him be touch starved like he usually spent his heats. He let Tim lay on his naked chest while he read to him. Tim would sit in his lap when they ate so he could be touching him as much as possible. The only time Jason wasn’t touching him was when Tim _needed_ him most. But coming down from the week of emotions that were far too strong he understood. Jason would wait for him, and that was all he really needed.


	2. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is a pretty major time skip halfway through

  
**We don't have to talk**

When they emerged, weeks later, from Tim’s place for patrol the first bat they ran into wasn’t anyone they expected. 

Robin stood there in front of them. Black Bat was a little further back from him but close enough to grab him if he did something stupid, “Red Robin, Hood.” He nodded at both of them then turned to address Tim, “I’ve come to apologize. I made a mistake in thinking that you were less than us when it was revealed that you are not a Beta. Black Bat and Spoiler have informed me that the league teaching about secondary genders is based in ancient stereotypes. I apologize for the harm I may have caused you.” 

The kid bowed to Tim, then nodded at Jason again. He grabbed his grapple and swung off away from them. 

Cass ran over and jumped into Tim’s arms, “happy?”

Tim smiled at her, “so, so happy.”

“Good. Little _brother_?”

“Yes, I’ll see you at home. Promise. We’ll both be at dinner. Just gotta talk to B.”

She nodded then looked to Jason, “ _older_ brother?” She said with a tone that wasn’t to be messed with. 

Tim laughed, “I’ll make sure he behaves. No blood at the dinner table.” 

Cass nodded at him smiling at Jason.

He smiled at her too, “I’ll be on my best behavior.” 

With that, she placed her hands on Tim’s shoulders and sprung off of him into a flip and onto a run across the rooftops. 

“You ready?” Jason asked him.

“O said he’s still in the cave. Let’s do this.” Tim squared his shoulders before pulling out his grappling hook. "Race you!"

They took off, racing each other across the rooftops and then through the streets once they were both on their bikes. 

“B! We need to talk!” Tim had already told Jason that he was going to talk first. 

Bruce turned around, he wasn’t wearing the cowl and it showed his age when he slumped into himself, “Tim, I’m sorry. I’m so-“

“Don’t apologize until I get this out.” Tim took a deep breath and then looked his guardian in the eyes, “I’m not the _pack_ Omega any more than Babs is. Yes I’m an Omega, yes I’m in your pack, but I have a _Mate_ , and I plan to stay with him. I kept it a secret for a lot of reasons and a couple of them were the way you talk about Omegas. You say you support Omega rights and how they shouldn’t be treated as secondary citizens. But you never see our strengths. You never took time to think through your basis.”

Tim took a deep breath and looked at Jason smiling, “you’re gonna figure it out, but Jason is my partner, and we are a package deal. To push one of us away is to push us both away.” 

Bruce nodded along as Tim spoke, “you’re right. And I’m so very truly sorry.”

**We don't have to dance**

Things got better. It took time, and a lot of therapy, but things really did get better. When Tim and Jason made their relationship official it was Cass who won the betting pool. No one was that surprised, they knew betting against Cass was a lost cause. 

Now Tim got to stand there and tell his family, his _pack_ that they weren’t _just_ mated, they were also engaged. And that Tim had finished the paperwork and Jason was legally alive again… and that Tim was taking a well-deserved sabbatical from WE… “Jay, I don’t think we can do this tonight. This is a lot of news to drop on them all at once. And we haven’t even told them that you’re, so that will have to, and they don’t know that I’m, and then we have to tell them that.”

Jason leaned down and kissed him to quiet him, “Baby bird, when you skip words I don’t get to follow your thoughts.”

“But I-”

“Shhh now,” Jason kissed him again and then nosed his way down to kiss at Tim’s mate bite, “we have to tell them tonight, even if they wouldn’t all see the mark on my neck-”

“You could have worn a collared shirt like I did!”

Jason smirked at him leaning down for another kiss, “where would be the fun in that?” 

“Jaaay!” 

Jason caught his lips in a kiss cutting off any further protest. Unfortunately, that was when Dick came walking up to the front door and Tim’s carefully planned speech was about to go out the door real fast.

“Aww! Finally! Wait no, shit! Cass was right!” Jason was laughing over Tim’s head while he tried to melt into his _fiancé’s_ shirt, hoping that maybe he could melt away and not have to do this.

“Master Richard, if you would stop teasing the others dinner will be served soon.” 

Dick scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, “Yeah I’ll head inside Alfred.”

Alfred then turned to Jason, and by extension the back of Tim’s head, “I would prefer if any potentially hostile conversations could be held away from the china if you please.” 

“You got it, Alfie!” Jason nudged Tim, “are you gonna walk baby bird? Or I could always carry you over the threshold?”

Tim snapped to look up at him glaring, “don’t you dare!” but at least it got him moving, “we’re not married yet you idiot!” he whisper-yelled at Jason, and the bastard had a smirk on his face that could rival Oliver’s when he had one-upped Bats. “Now let’s go. I am _Not_ telling them by myself.”

Jason grabbed his hand and turned him back to look at him, “you and me against the world baby.”

“Till the end.” Tim reached up on his tiptoes to press a quick kiss to his face, “Love you, Jaybird.”

“Love you too, Baby bird.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I might write what happened in the time skip in a future fic, but as of right now I don't have plans for it.


End file.
